It only makes sense to order the steamed artichoke at the Artichoke Café. Slathered in lemon-caper oil and a raspberry vinaigrette, it makes a great starter before trying a more hefty order of grilled curried chicken or sliced steak. Once your lunch or dinner at the upscale Artichoke Café has concluded, you’ve got to adjourn to the sexy wine bar next door. The wine list is actually a leather-bound tome with a massive assortment of wines. Prices start at a decent $28 or $30 a bottle and zoom up into the upper stratospheres of frivolity, but you can also order select vintages by the half-bottle or glass. You'll love the front-facing "big city" windows, curvy wooden bar and comfortable seats.

Cruise down Central to this Belgian-style brewery in the heart of Downtown. There’s plenty of room for everyone in the enormous space and plenty of beers to choose from. Try the Manikin small Scottish ale, Whistler blonde or Fiction IPA. Get yours by the glass, bottle, growler or keg.

Across Edith from the Artichoke Café, Farina’s proximity to some of the most established fine dining in Albuquerque isn't an accident. Farina is the punked-up younger sibling of jazzy Artichoke Café, and it brings a tantalizingly direct message to the neighborhood: pizza, beer and wine, and all of it damn good. Sharp, concise and to the point with 20 superb choices offered by the glass or bottle, Farina’s wine list is straightforward and focused. The bar is comfortable and every wine is perfectly matched to the kitchen’s chic pizzeria offerings.

The New Mexico grass-fed Holy Cow burger comes on a brioche bun, while an ahi tuna sandwich, veggie club and dinner salads offer some more choices for bovine-averse diners. Beer and wine, plus shakes, malts and floats are available to complete the sacrament.

This rooftop bar offers a breezy patio, a menu of small plates and specialty cocktails for those looking to relax after a long day at work (the kind where you wear suits!). The food is hit or miss, but the house-created cocktails—like the spicy-yet-refreshing cucumber-jalapeño margarita—make it well worth a visit.

Slate is on a quiet, blink-and-you-miss-it avenue between Fifth and Sixth Street, nestled right in the heart of the legal district. Like the space itself, the menu is polished and unintimidating. Don’t miss the ahi tuna sandwich (with gluten-free bread available!). It's all very affordable for its level of quality. There’s also a fabulous wine loft with the wines listed by style—“just a little sweet,” “ABC: Anything But Chardonnay” or “sexy, elegant, austere”—not varietal or region. Demystifying the label like this makes it easy for patrons to pair wine and food.

The Barley Room is a watering hole in the far Northeast Heights that fills patrons up with live music, lots of libations and a surprisingly ample menu. Snack on bar-friendly fried things (say yes to the sweet potato fries!), or have a proper meal with burgers, salads, pasta, New Mexican dishes, and a few grilled meat and fish entrées. There’s a palpable sports bar feel to the place, but a diverse clientele keeps this bar/grill comfortable for just about everyone. The kitchen stays open until midnight every night; go ahead and linger.

This Asian-American eatery has a reputation for retro Pacific Rim decor and the clink of drinks with little umbrellas in them. If you're in the mood for East-meets-West fare like lettuce wraps, orange peel beef or Tokyo crispy tofu, then load up the Prius and take a drive down Paseo del Norte. You’ll also find a large selection of fine loose teas and more liquor than you can shake a limbo stick at. Have a yen for wine? Here it comes in white, red and plum.

Trombino's Bistro Italiano has been an institution of family-style Italian dining in the Heights for more than 30 years. It houses an impressively fat menu that includes a full bar, espresso drinks and an ample wine list. The service is quicker than a Hollywood marriage, and the waitstaff seems particularly knowledgeable about the food and wines. Gravitate to the more rustic Italian fare—lemon-basil chicken salad, grilled homemade Italian sausage, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and manicotti--all are amply portioned and tasty.

Chow down on “New Mexican soul food” and wash it all down with American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup-winning brews. The Imperial cream ale is crisp and smooth, the milk stout is rich and creamy. Not a beer person? Go for Black Mesa wines or Santa Fe Cider Works hard ciders.

Canteen Brewhouse picks up where the Il Vacino Vassar taproom left off. The canteen is spacious, and so is its shaded patio filled with picnic benches—a comfortable spot to enjoy the brew, regular live music and a casual menu. There’s no pizza here, but there are satisfying sandwiches. As always, the ingredients are top-notch, the microbrews are award-winning, and the home-brewed root beer float is a real treat.

Santa Fe Brewing Co. has made its home at Green Jeans Farmery. You can stay and have a beer or two, or take a growler or six-pack to go. That yellow can with the zia symbol is iconic and eye-catching anywhere. With a choice of over 25 beers on tap and the option to bring food in from other establishments, it’s hard to leave this beautiful building.

The surprising thing about Scalo is that it’s simultaneously more fancy and less expensive than you’d think. It’s just as breezy and classy as ever in its high-ceilinged dining room. All of the bottles on the wine list are half-price on Monday nights, and there’s free, live music in the bar. Try their Bloody Mary bar on the weekends or their Sunday brunch. There’s plenty of fresh-pressed espresso to sip with it.

You love Yanni's. So do we. Their adjoined Lemoni Bar seats about 85 people and is open for lunch, dinner or just cocktails. Painted natural tones and accented with elegant lighting, the lounge provides a subtle contrast to the bright, light and airy dining rooms at Yanni's. It’s an ideal place for pre- or post-movie cocktails and snacks, or more substantial cuisine. Their green chile Bloody Mary will certainly boost your brunch.

Steel Bender serves up craft beer brewed by none other than Robert Haggerty. Pair their tasty pub food with local wines from the likes of Gruet and Milagro Corrales, or grab a cold pint of fun seasonals like The Goose is Loose or house solids like Blue Bullet stout, The Village Wit ale or Skull Bucket IPA.

Need to impress somebody from out of town? Take them to Level 5. This rooftop restaurant and bar on top of Hotel Chaco has panoramic views of the Sandias and a cocktail menu made for people who really like good cocktails. Want to know what venison carpaccio tastes like? Or a $48 steak? Make a reservation at Level 5 tonight.

This casual, reasonably priced eatery is located just to the northwest of the Sheraton Old Town off Rio Grande. Regular live jazz music, two patios and a spacious front specialty wine and gift shop bring wine festival flair to thirsty Burqueños year-round, while the menu is built around the Vineyard's signature wines.

This seemingly small hole-in-the-wall is quite a surprise when you first walk in: On the outside one would expect the restaurant to be small, but it’s quite spacious inside. Try the burger with fries for just $6.25.

You’ll probably have to battle full parking lots and at least a moderate wait, but these delays, annoying as they may be, are one of the best “reviews” a restaurant could hope for. Inside, the dim lighting and rustic décor easily fade away when an enormous pile of tender, saucy meat appears before you. The almost heat-free sauce is tangy and sweet but mellow enough to go down nice and easy without a pucker. Friends of the sausage will love the hot links: well-spiced and smoky dogs with a delightful snap. Not to mention the huge bar takes care of all your beer and cocktail needs.